Medford police arrest wanted man with help from a neighbor

Medford police caught up with a career criminal wanted on several warrants, thanks to a man who was willing to step in front of a fleeing suspect.

Medford police caught up with a career criminal wanted on several warrants, thanks to a man who was willing to step in front of a fleeing suspect.

Police got a tip that Robin Lee Workman, a 55-year-old Gold Hill man suspected in a string of recent burglaries and vehicle thefts and wanted on multiple warrants, was at a home in the 600 block of South Holly Street.

Officers surrounded the home at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday. When they went to talk to the people inside, Workman jumped out a side window and took off running south through neighboring yards, police said in a news release today. Two officers ran after him.

A 25-year-old man who lives on South Holly Street saw the chase coming his direction. He ran across the street to physically block Workman's path. This slowed Workman enough that officers could catch up and arrest him without further incident, police said. Officers on the scene thanked the good Samaritan for his assistance.

Police said the man who helped hasn't agreed to be named or talk to media.

Police said they found a concealed switch-blade knife in Workman's pocket and methamphetamine inside his home. He was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on charges of possession of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a restricted weapon and warrants charging him with first-degree theft, second-degree criminal mischief and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Jackson County investigators are still working on burglary and vehicle theft cases in which Workman is a suspect, police said.